Well device



Jan. 24, 1939. OTIS I 2,144,850

WELL DEVICE Filed April 29, 1935 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 I f l Herbert C. Oti

H. C OTIS WELL DEV I G E Jan. 24, 1939.

4 Sheets-Sheet 2 W W. WW a M w m 8 \\\A/ J m W 3 Jan. 24,1939. H o-2,144,850

WELL DEVICE Filed April 29, 1935 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 f 24' Z/ Z2 Z2 23 w 4544 45 Z4 a /.5

Patented Jan. 24, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 13 Claims.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in well devices.

It has become common practice in the oil fields to use core barrelswhich are removable through the drill stem. With the equipment now inuse in connection with these core barrels, it is, not possible to use afloat valve for the purpose of floating long strings of drill or otherpipe into the well, or to use a choke at the lower end of the string,because the devices which are now available, are not removable, andtherefore the core barrel can not be either run in or pulled out of thestring while the float valve or choke is in place.

One object of the invention is to provide an improved removable carrierarranged to be lowered into a string of tubing or pipe, and locked inplace, so as to'support a float valve for floating a string of drill orother pipe into the well, and also to act as a blow-out preventer whenthe string of tubing is being pulled from the well, or to support abottom-hole choke.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved mechanismfor locking and unlocking the carrier, whereby an assured operation isobtained.

Still another object of the invention is to provide an improved carrieradapted to carry a float valve; or a valve provided with a reduced ,boreto form a choke, or wherein the valve proper may be eliminated and achoke substituted therefor.

Another object of the invention is to provide a valve or choke carrierequipped with a packer and arranged to undergo a limited verticalprovement while locked in the string, either in response to fluidpressure, or to actual movement by means placed in the well.

A construction designed to carry out the invention will be hereinafterdescribed together with other features of the invention.

The invention will be more readily understood Figure 2 is an elevationof the lower portion of the same.

Figure 3 is an enlarged horizontal cross-sectional view taken on theline 3-3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is an enlarged vertical sectional view of the upper portion ofthe device in its lower locked position,

Figure 5 is an enlarged vertical sectional view of the lower portion ofsaid device,

Figure 6 is a horizontal cross-sectional view taken on the line li-BofFigure 4,

Figure 7 is an enlarged vertical sectional View of the upper portion ofthe device, showing it in its upper locked position when the packer isunder pressure, I

Figure 8 is a vertical sectional view showing the carrier in its lowerposition and the dogs elevated and released,

Figure 9 is an enlarged vertical sectional view of the upper portion ofanother form of the device, showing it in its upper locked position whenthe packer is under pressure, and I Figure 10 is a vertical, sectionalview, showing the carrier in its lower position and the dogs elevatedand released.

In the drawings, the numeral ill designates a cylindrical housing, whichmay take the form of an elongated nipple having screw-threaded pins IIat each end. This nipple may be connected in the drill pipe in anysuitable manner. It is to be understood that the invention is not to belimited to use in a drill pipe or drill ste but may be used in a tubingas well.

For insertion into, and locking in the nipple, a carrier I3 is provided.The carrier includes an elongated neck M at its upper end extendingupwardly from a. frusto-conical shank [5, which latter constitutes anexpanding element. The shank extends upwardly from a cylindrical headHi, from which a reduced stem I'I depends. An axial bore l8 extendsentirely through the carrier. The head It is slightly less in diameterthan the bore of the nipple l0 so as to slide freely therethrough, butto have a limited lateral movement therein.

A dog collar I9 has a snug sliding fit on the neck '14. This collar isprovided with an undercut overhanging annular lip 20 as is shown indetail in Figures 1, 4, 7 and 8. An annular stop flange 2| surroundsvthe base of the neck M. This flange is provided with an inclinedshoulder 22 which is adapted to engage in an inclined seat 23 at the topof the nipple, whereby the carrier is supported when inserted in thenipple.

A pluralltyof locking dogs 24 are pivotally carried by the collar l9 andextend through the flange. These dogs are provided with elongated shankswhich are formed with inclined faces 24'. The shanks have bosses 25 attheir lower ends, each boss being beveled at its upper and lower ends,the upper beveled end being arranged to engage an annular shoulder 26,at the top of a cylindrical locking recess 28, formed in the nipple atits upper portion when the carrier is moved vertically in said recess.The inner faces 29 of the dogs are inclined and curved to conform to theinclination and curvature of the shank I5, whereby said bosses 25 aredisplaced into the recess 28, when the dogs are moved downwardly on saidshank; and conversely whereby the bosses of the dogs will swing fromsaid recess when said dogs are elevated.

On the reduced stem l1, inverted packing cups 30 are mounted and areheld in place and spaced apart by thimbles 3|, as is best shown inFigures 4 and 5. These cupsmay be made of any suitable material such asleather, synthetic rubber or any other composition which will serve thepurpose. The thimbles are considerably less in diameter than the innerdiameter of the nipple. thus permitting the pressure fluid which risesin the tubing string (not shown) and the nipple I0 to enter and expandthe cups, thereby packing oil the device in the lower portion of thenipple. (See Fig. 5.) The cups and their component parts constitute apacker.

A cylindrical valve cage 32 has its upper end internally screw-threadedat 33 so as to be screwed onto the lower end of the stem l1, and to bearagainst the lowermost thimble 3|, thereby looking or jamming saidthimble in place. The cage is less in diameter than the bore of thenipple l0, thus permitting the pressure fluid to flow upwardly to thecups. A valve seat 34 is formed at the lower end of the bore I8 at thebottom of the stem I1 and receives a ball valve 35. The ball 35 issupported by a coil spring 36 resting on an annular shoulder 31 at thebottom of the cage, as is shown in Figure 5. The cage has an axialopening 38 at its bottom for the passage of fluid and the release ofextraneous matter.

The cage is provided with radial ports 39 located below the center ofthe ball 35, when the latter is seated. When the string is being loweredinto the well, or when the carrier is being lowered into the saidstring, the pressure fluid entering the ports 39 will tend to hold theball 35 on its seat 34; however, when fluid is being forced down thestring through the bore 18, the valve will be displaced downwardly sothat its center will be below the ports 39 and this will permit a freeoutlet.

When the carrier is lowered into the well, its parts will be positionedas shown in Figure 1, the dogs resting upon the head I B. As the carriermoves downwardly the valve cage 32 will first enter the upper end of thenipple I 0, followed successively by the packing cups 38 and the headIS. The lower bevels of the bosses 25 will next engage the seat 23 atthe top of the nipple, whereby the dog assembly will be arrested and theshank l5 moved downwardly. As the shank travels downwardly, the inclinedfaces 29 of the dogs will tend to ride on said shank, whereby thepivoted dogs will be retracted. This action will be aided by thetendency of the beveled bosses 25 to ride down the inclined seat 23.

By the time the dog assembly is elevated to the position shown in Figure8, the dogs will have swung inwardly so that their bosses 25, will havebeen retracted sufliciently to freely enter the upper end of the boreof' the nipple l0. As soon as the bosses enter the upper end of therecess 28, the dog assembly will no longer be supported, therefore thedogs will slide downwardly on the shank, whereby the bosses will beextended into the recess 28. The downward movement of the carrier willbe halted when the shoulder 22 of the stop flange comes to rest upon theseat 23, as is shown in Figure 4; while the downward movement of thedogs will be arrested when the bosses reach the head I6.

If the carrier is elevated the bosses 25 will engage the shoulder 26 atthe top of the recess 28, thus limiting said movement and preventingwithdrawal of said carrier from the nipple. The length of the lockingrecess 28 allows ample clearance above and below the bosses, thusminimizing the exactness necessary to lock the dogs in the nipple. Thisprovision also permits a limited movement of the carrier and allows thebottom-hole pressure acting against the cups 30 to move the carrierupwardly, whereby the dogs are held in their extended position.- Thus,it will be seen that when the dogs are extended into the recess and thecarrier elevated either by the bottom-hole pressure or mechanically,said carrier is locked in the nipple.

In order to remove the carrier from the nipple l0, it must first beforced downwardly to the position shown in Fig. 4. An equalization ofthe pressure above and below the carrier is first obtained, after whicha downward movement of the carrier is easily accomplished. With parts inthis position the collar I8 is then elevated until it strikes a collar41 screwed on the upper end of the neck M, as is shown in Fig. 8. Thedogs sliding up the shank l5 will be retracted, as will be explained, sothat the carrier may be withdrawn from the nipple. The carrier may thenbe elevated in the string of pipe. This will clear the bore of thenipple so that a core barrel or other tool may be passed therethrough.

While the dogs 24 may be pivoted in the collar IS, in any suitablemanner, I have found the construction illustrated in Figures 1, 4, 7 and8 to be entirely satisfactory. It is preferable to employ three dogsspaced at equal distances, as is shown in Fig. 3. Each dog includes, inaddition to its boss 25 and shank, a T-shaped hanger 40, as is shown indetail in Figure 1.

The collar I9 is provided with a plurality of T-shaped slots 4|receiving and suspending the cross heads 40' at the upper ends of thehangers 40. The cross heads are held in these slots by flat retainingrings 42, which are preferably split and seated in an annular recess 43so as to lie flush with the outer surface of the collar. The stop flange2| is provided with a plurality of vertical slots 44 through which thehangers extend. Below the shoulder 22, the ring is provided with a splitretaining ring 45 engaging in an annular recess 46, whereby the hangersare loosely confined in the slots. Sufficient clearance is provided topermit the dogs to freely swing and move into their different positions.The hangers and their heads are free to move radially of the carrier inthe slots 4| and 44.

Any suitable means may be provided for lowering the carrier into thetubing string to position it within the nipple It]. It has been foundsatisfactory to provide the collar 41 with an annular groove 41 forreceiving the inner ends of rivets 49 carried by the cap 48 forming partof the tool shown in my Letters Patent No. 1,920,103 dated July 25,1933.

When it is desirable to place the carrier in the nipple II), which hasbeen previously connected in the string of tubing, the cap ll is slippedover the collar 41 so that the rivets 48 will engage in the groove 41.As previously described the bosses 25 will rest upon the head l6 and thecarrier will enter the nipple l and come to rest in the position shownin Figure 4. When the tool is elevated the carrier will be lifted to theposition shown in Figure 7. By operating the tool in the usual mannerthe cap 48 will be pulled upwardly from the collar 41, the ends of therivets 49 shearing oif so as to free the collar 41. The bosses 25 of thedogs engaging the shoulder 26, will limit the upward movement of thecarrier, thus holding it stationary when the running tool exerts anupward pull to shear-01f the rivets. If there is sufiicientbottom-holepressure, the carrier will be maintained in its elevated position owingto the expanding of the cups 30 by said pressure. However, if there isnot sumcient pressure to hold the carrier elevated it will drop bodilyto the position shown in Figure 4.

When it is desired to remove the carrier from the nipple, the fishingtool as shown in the aforesaid Letters Patent is connected to the deviceso as to engage the lip 20. When this occurs the parts will be inposition shown in Figure 7 and by operating the tool, the carrier 13will be forced downwardly to the position shown in Figure 4. Then uponan upward pull, the collar l9 will be slid up the neck I4, whereby theinclined dogs 24 will be elevated to the position shown in Figure 8. Assaid dogs are elevated the inclined faces 24' of the shank thereof willride against the underside of the ring 45, which will force the dogsinwardly to the position shown in Figure 8. This will retract the dogsso that the carrier may now be elevated from the nipple and carried upthe string. It is obvious that any suitable tools may be used forplacing the carrier in position or removing it from the nipple. When thecarrier is removed, the valve cage 32 is, of course. carried with it.

In Figures 9. and 10, I have shown another form of the invention. Inthis form the split ring 45 is eliminated and a similar ring 45' isdisposed around the stop flange 2| being mounted at the upper endthereof, instead of at the lower end. Thus, when the flange is seated inthe inclined seat 23 at the top of the nipple, this ring is above theseat and is not located to be engaged by the shanks of the dogs 24.

The operation is the same as in the first form except that the ring 45'does not serve to move the dogs inwardly to retract the same when thecarrier is being removed from the nipple. Assuming the dogs 24 to be inthe position shown in dotted lines (Figure and it is desired to removethe carrier. an upward pull on the collar I! will raise the dogs 24.However, these dogs will remain in their expanded position until thebevel, at the upper end of their bosses 2, strikes the shoulder 26 atthetop of the locking recess 28. Due to the inclination of the bevel andshoulder, it is obvious that the lower end of the dogs will be swunginwardly. which will permit the carrier to be removed from the nipple.

By raising the ring -45 and depending on the engagement of the bevel atthe upper end of the bosses 25 with the shoulder 28 for the retractionof the dogs 24, the inclined face 2i of the shank of each dog may beeliminated. This permits the shank and hanger of each dog to be made ofan equal thickness throughout, which adds strength to said dogs.However, both structures have been found satisfactory and it is largelya -matter of choice as to which the particular operator may employ.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1, A well device including, a housing having an elongated lockingrecess, a carrier having a fluid passage extending therethrough, apacker on the carrier, dogs on the carrier adapted to engage in therecess of the housing, and stop means on the carrier intermediate theends thereof for engaging the housing to arrest downward movement ofsaid carrier, whereby the packer is positioned in the housing and thedogs are registered with the locking recess.

2. A well device including, a housing having a locking recess, acarrier, a packer on the carrier, dogs on the carrier adapted to engagein the recess of the housing, and stop means on the carrier for engagingthe housing to arrest downward movement of said carrier, whereby thepacker is positioned in the housing and the dogs are registered with thelocking recess.

3. A well device including, a housing having a locking recess, a carrierhaving a fluid passage extending therethrough, dogs on the carrieradapted to engage in the recess of the housing, and stop means on thecarrier for engaging the housing to arrest downward movement of saidcarrier, whereby the dogs are positioned in the housing and said dogsare registered with the locking recess.

4. A well device including, a housing having a locking recess therein, acarrier adapted to enter said housing and having an axial bore extendingtherethrough, a valve mounted on the carrier and seated at one end ofsaid bore, dogs on the carrier adapted to engage in the recess of thehousing, means on the carrier for expanding the dogs into the housing,and means on the carrier at the upper portion thereof having a stop forengaging the housing to arrest downward movement of said carrier andthereby register the dogs with the recesses and also having an elementarranged to retract the dogs when said dogs are moved upwardly to permitremoval of said carrier from the housing.

5. A well device including, a housing having a locking recess. a carrierhaving a fluid passage extending therethrough, a packer on the carrier,dogs on the carrier adapted to engage in the recess of the housing, andstop means on the carrier for engaging the housing to arrest downwardmovement of said carrier, whereby the packer is positioned in thehousing and the dogs are registered with the locking recess, said stopmeansbeing arranged to retract the dogs from the locking recess when thedogs are moved upwardly, whereby said carrier may be removed from thehousing.

6. A well device including, a housing having a locking recess, anannular shoulder at the upper end of said recess, a carrier adapted toenter said housing and having an axial bore therethrough, dogs on thecarrier having bosses arranged to engage in the recess of the housing,means on the carrier for expanding the bosses into the recess, and stopmeans on the carrier for engaging the housing to arrest downwardmovement of the carrier, whereby the bosses are registered with thelocking recess, the annular shoulder being so arranged that upwardmovement of the'carrier will cause the bosses to strike said shoulder,whereby the bosses are retained in the housing recesses to preventremoval of the carrier from the housing.

7. A well device including, a housing having a locking recess, a beveledannular shoulder at the upper end of the said recess, a carrier adaptedto enter said housing and having an axial bore therethrough, dogs on thecarrier having bosses arranged to engage in the recess of the housing,said bosses having their upper ends beveled, means on the carrier forexpanding the bosses of the dogs into the recess, and stop means on thecarrier for engaging the housing to arrest downward movement of thecarrier, whereby the bosses of the dogs are registered with the lockingrecess, the beveled annular shoulder at the upper end of the recessbeing so located that upward movement of the carrier will cause theupper beveled ends of the dogs to strike said shoulder, whereby thebosses of the dogs are retained in said recesses to prevent removal ofthe carrier from the housing.

8. A well device including, a housing having an elongated lockingrecess, a carrier having a fluid passage extending therethrough, apacker on the carrier, dogs on the carrier adapted to engage in therecess of the housing, and stop means on the carrier for engaging thehousing to arrest downward movement of said carrier whereby the packeris positioned in the housing and the dogs are registered with thelocking recess.

9. A well device including, a housing adapted to be connected in astring of well tubing so as to constitute a section thereof, saidhousing having a vertically elongated recess therein, a carrier adaptedto enter said housing, locking means movably mounted on the carrier forengaging in the housing recess, and movable means for moving the lockingmeans into and out of locking and vertically sliding position in, thehousing recess, the elongated housing recess affording an elongatedvertical sliding movement of the carrier and the locking means whilesaid means is locked in the said recess, said housing recess being ofsuflicient length to permit the locking means to slide verticallytherein from locked position to unlocked position.

10. A well device including, a housing adapted to be connected in astring of well tubing so as to constitute a section thereof, saidhousing having a vertically elongated recess therein, a carrier adaptedto enter said housing, locking means movably mounted on the carrier forengaging in the housing recess, movable means for moving the lockingmeans into and out of locking and vertically sliding position in thehousing recess, the elongated housing recess affording an elongatedvertical sliding movement of the carrier and the locking means whilesaid means is locked in the said recess, said housing recess being orsufllcient length to permit the locking means to slide verticallytherein to release from the said moving means, and means for actuatingsaid locking means controllable from the top of the well.

11. A well device including, a tubular housing arranged to be connectedin a string of well tubing and provided with an annular verticallyelongated recess therein, a carrier having an axial flow passageextending therethrough and arranged to enter the housing, locking meansslidably mounted on the carrier out of the flow passage and arranged toenter the recess of the housing, means on the carrier for displacing thelocking means into the housing recess, whereby said locking means isheld in the housing recess when said carrier and locking means are movedvertically, and means on the locking means for engagement by a tool forsliding the locking means on the carrier and vertically in the recess ofthe housing.

12. A well device including, a tubular housing arranged to be connectedin a string of well tubing and provided with an annular verticallyelongated recess therein, a carrier having an. axial flow passageextending therethrough and arranged to enter the housing, a packer onthe carrier, locking means movably mounted on the carrier above thepacker out of the flow passage and arranged to enter the recess of thehousing, and means on the carrier for displacing the locking means intothe housing recess, whereby said locking means is held in the housingrecess when said carrier and locking means are moved vertically.

13. As a sub-combination in a well device, a cylindrical tubular housinghaving means at each end for connecting it in a string of well tubing,said housing having a longitudinal elongated cylindrical recess in itsbore, an internal annular stop shoulder inthe bore of the housing at theupper end of the recess, and an annular inclined seat at the upper endof the housing surrounding the bore thereof for receiving an inclinedlocking member.

- HERBERT C. OTIS.

